All About a Character — By Guest Mom Kristy Glass

The younger me as Little Orphan Annie.

If you feel a little self-conscious about becoming someone else for the night, here are a few tips to help you shed the jitters, and have a good time.

Karaoke.
My husband was Billy Ray Cyrus last year, and he became Billy as soon as Achy Breaky Heart came over the speakers.

Phrases!
If you are playing someone from a book or movie, skim-read it for dialogue or re-watch the movie. IMDB is also a good source of quotes from movies. Or call that one friend that knows quotes from everything. This year my Judy Jetson has been practicing: “Outer-galactic!” and “Far-Out!” For the cowboys, check out cowboy sayings. For the pirates out there, pre-plan your phrases on this site.

Theme-dress.
If you and a buddy or your family all dress as a theme, you can take that to an extreme. You can speak in like dialect/accent/language!, act out a scene, improvise a scene, the sky's the limit.

Dance!
If your costume comes from an era like the 20’s, 50’s or 70’s....brush up on your moves and dance in character when the music starts at your Halloween party.

Hide.
If you are too shy, get a mask so that nobody knows it’s you.

Dressing up and getting into character for the night is fun for someone like me who enjoys playing a role, but I know it’s not for everyone. Maybe a few of these tips will help you loosen up and get into Halloween this year.

Thanks for having me! ~Kristy

Find more from Kristy at her blog Glass Posse.

All about Halloween Eve — by Guest Mom Kristy Glass

It crept up on you right? Your kids look at you disappointedly when they realize you have not planned a Halloween costume for yourself (or maybe even for them! whoops!). A few last-minute winners that I have seen over the years:

Be a color:
Dress solo or as a group — green-earth theme, orange/white/yellow=candycorns, a rainbow, a flag, school colors! If I were pink, I’d wear this beard. Grab every piece of clothing you have in one color, this is educational for young ones too! While you're at it, sort your closet by color...it looks pretty!

Crayons:
Kristie made these crayon costumes (seen above) for her family with paper. Gotta love paper crafts that you can do the night before!

Subway Train Sign:
Natasha did not make this last minute (also see above), but if you have a piece of felt, a magic marker and a glue gun, you could make a less-than-perfect version of this costume. For a full list of the subway lines, click here.

Get Literal:
Plastic spiders are plentiful this time of year. I witnessed a couple glue a ton of them to t-shirts and proclaim themselves Spider Man and Spider Woman. Another fun use for plastic spiders is to stick them in your hair or ears or other creative places.

My friend Helen velcroed a babydoll to her butt to become a Babysitter. Brilliant!

Blacked-eyed P's — You guessed it, a letter P on a t-shirt and a black eye, you have to do this as a pair to be peaZ.

Find more from Kristy at her blog Glass Posse.

All in the Alternatives — By Guest Mom Kristy Glass

Haunted house image here.

My Dad is a dentist, so when we gathered our treats for Halloween to give away to the neighborhood kids, not only did we have the sweets, we also gave out toothbrushes with my Dad’s business address and phone number. A tiny part of me thought it was lame that my Dad did this, but most of me thought it was a pretty great idea. I had never gotten a toothbrush on Halloween before, I thought it was original.

When we got home, we would sort through our findings, trade with our siblings, your favorite for mine....until everyone was super satisfied. My faves: Kit Kats, Peanut M & Ms, Snickers and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Those are still my faves, but I developed a peanut allergy after I finished my pregnancy with my second child, so now I am just mad when I see all of my faves in my kids pumpkins.

This year my daughter’s school is sponsoring Healthy Halloween. Without knowing all the details, I have been thinking about alternatives to sugar treats, and junky plasticky stuff. Ideas....GO!:

-MEMORY game-using classmates photos or halloween images on back of cards
-Slap bracelets (they’re back!) I’ve spotted them at Oriental Trading Co. and Claire’s Accessories
-Homemade Halloween Bookmarks
-Homemade Necklaces
-Instruments...we have a beloved maraca made out of a witches head.
-My favorite idea (probably for a small group of children as opposed to handing it out to the neighborhood): Halloween Music CD

My fave halloween tracks:

Justin Roberts:
Maybe the Monster (Meltdown!)
Thought it was a Monster (Yellowbus)

Harry Connick, Jr. Songs I Heard Album:
Spoonful of Sugar, Jitterbug, Land of Oz, Candy Man

Oingo Boingo:
Who do you want to be?
Weird Science
When the Lights Go Out

Barbra Streisand:
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf
Ding-Dong, the witch is dead

Laurie Berkner:
Chock-o-lot in my Pock-o-lot

What are your favorite candy alternatives?

Find more from Kristy at her blog Glass Posse.

All About the Makeup — by Guest Mom Kristy Glass

This is me as the "Book Witch" and as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. I did the makeup myself(!).

A few years ago, my daughter’s kindergarten teacher and I planned a Halloween Surprise for her class. I was to come in as the Book Witch and read some Halloween stories to the children. I love surprises so much, so I did not tell my daughter anything about this, and I wanted to be unrecognizable to her and her classmates.

My mind immediately turned to the Broadway production of Wicked and the green makeup that Elphaba wears. I emailed a makeup artist friend of mine to see if she could give me some tips on how to transform my face into a witch. She suggested I visit Alcone, a makeup company in Manhattan. I zipped over there and waited in line for the makeup artist of The Little Mermaid to plow through her very long list of needs, and felt quite sheepish when all I asked for was Elphaba Green. Unfortunately they did not have that green, so I settled for more of an emerald color of Kryolan’s Aqua.

I also wanted to have a prosthetic nose, but I am allergic to latex, and could not find any noses that were latex-free. Instead I picked up some wax and glued some warts onto my face. The other important element of the Book Witch Makeup was Mac’s Pigment in “Push the Edge”, which is a purple color. I used it to accent my cheeks, lips and eyes. I had purple going on with the hat I bought at Ricky’s and the purple gloves. As for the costume itself...I just threw on all the black clothes in my closet and sprayed a little black in my hair.

I brought my books along in a vintage Samsonite, bright pink train case, as opposed to a cauldron or black basket or jack-o-lantern. I wanted to be less witchy and more booky because some parents had expressed concerns about Witch Lore and I didn’t want to give the wrong message to the impressionable young children. The teacher is convinced that my daughter didn’t recognize me, and I am pretty sure none of the other children recognized me until little sister landed on the scene, suddenly it was pretty obvious who was under all that makeup. My daughter insists she was never fooled. She’s been known to lie.

My Top 5 Halloween Book Witch Read-Alouds:

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
Room on the Broom Book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting
The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
The Halloween Play by Felicia Bond

Last year my daughter wanted me to be Maleficent to her Princess Aurora. I purchased the costume and staff and was disappointed with the quality of the frock. I spruced it up by stuffing the foam-shaped Antlers with poly-fil and putting a back on them, then twirling some purple cord around each point, but I knew what would really sell the costume would be my face.

I studied graphics from the film, but mostly studied a Golden Book Version of Sleeping Beauty that we already had on our bookshelf. I ordered the Aqua color that was closest to Maleficent’s turquoise hue and then I was all set. I had the purple pigment from Book Witch the year before and the black paint from my Mrs. Incredible costume already in my stores, so I didn’t need to buy anything else. The photo at top was taken after my third try at applying this makeup, and I think it turned out really well: red lips, yellow around the eyes, purple eyeshadow, exaggerated eyebrows, and that sallow, turquoise skin. Spooky.

Great makeup can make a costume go from good to great, or can be the costume itself. Just looking at those aqua colors I had a few ideas come to mind right away: silver-ghoul, dark blue-blue man group, Violet — that girl from charlie and the chocolate factory who turns into a blueberry, yellow-banana...use your imagination and make sure you practice before the night of Halloween!

Find more from Kristy at her blog Glass Posse.

All In The Details — by Guest Mom Kristy Glass

When the store-bought costume is not doing it for you, you gotta take things into your own hands. When I decided; “I am going to be Mrs. Incredible,” and I found Disney’s Mrs. Incredible costume online to be UNcredible, I needed to take matters into my own hands.

I pulled up an image of Mrs. Incredible from the Pixar film and compared the two side by side: What? Horror! I was amazed at how lame Disney’s offering was.



The boots were not tall enough, neck too thin, and where are the gloves? I started staring at this cartoon picture and trying to figure out how my non-seamstress self could make my own costume.

I ordered black gloves, black briefs, black tall boots and a full-body red unitard. I stopped by the fabric store to get some orange and black stretch fabric to add to the waistband and neck of the unitard. I also picked up some felt and glitter to create the “i” graphic on the chest.

My sewer friend whipped that orange waistband on the briefs and the black on the outside of the neck. I spent an evening burning my fingers (literally) glueing that incredible logo together. The last thing I needed to do was order the black makeup from Ben Nye, and voila! I had a much more incredible costume then the store-bought, and for around the same price.

As an added bonus, I already had a short sassy hairdo similar to Mrs. I, and the big booty to boot!



I know this is a good costume because 4 other friends have borrowed it. I have also worn it for school appearances at my daughter’s schools and sometimes the prospect of wearing that costume again someday in the future, is all the motivation I need to do my morning workout.

This year I have used the Mrs. Incredible Model to put together 2 costumes that I am pleased-as-punch about.

My daughter will be Olivia Pig, from the Olivia books by Ian Falconer. Her outfit is modeled after the illustration on the cover of Olivia Counts. Each piece (striped tights, striped shirt, white blouse, jumper) will be worn the rest of the year as separates and together for upcoming holidays (Christmas, Valentine’s Day). I had no guilt purchasing these items as they will be worn again! (Unlike the Judy Jetson store-bought catastrophe that looks cute but wears MEH, that my other daughter insisted upon purchasing!)

I had to make the ears and for fun I made a duct-tape purse to go with it. I enjoy having a little hand-made bit of the costume, preferably one that does not involve me sewing.



Also this year I have used the Mrs. Incredible Model for my own costume. I chose to be Cruella Deville, circa 1960’s. I bought each piece off ebay: red boots, red gloves, black vintage dress, white furry coat, wig. After studying the cartoon drawings of Ms. Deville, I decided to get some green jewelry as well. My good friend etsy helped me find just the right set of earrings and a ring.

So, there you have it! Incredible Costumes, to make your Halloween the most memorable!

Find more from Kristy at her blog Glass Posse.

Welcome Kristy Glass!

Photo by Rachel Gundersen

I'm so delighted to have Kristy Glass with us this week! I have only briefly met her in real life (and under odd circumstances, where we had to whisper quick hellos), but I've been exchanging emails with her since I started blogging and feel like she's an old friend. Here's Kristy's introduction in her own words:

-------------------------

In a recent audition, I was interviewed to see how much I knew about entertainment, celebrities and pop culture. I was asked if I read US Weekly or “the blogs”. Sadly I could not answer in the affirmative. “Then, what is your favorite blog?”

“DESIGN MOM!”

Thanks for having me.

I’m an urban mom of two daughters, thanks to my husband of 11 years, who pushed me to finish college even though I was being lured away by that intoxicating world of the theatre. After graduating in 3 jam-packed years, I pursued my dream of ACTING in Washington DC. There I had a lot of great success, including doing 2 different shows while I was pregnant with my first baby! 5 weeks after her birth, I was back in the theatre one last time in DC before picking up and moving to Queens, NY in 2002.

I am a working mother and I strive to spend as much time with my children as possible. I do not have a nanny. My career has now expanded beyond theatre to singing, recording, modeling, baby wrangling and tv, which basically means, I am a professional job-seeker. I have dragged my babies (now children) to 90% of my auditions and they have even accompanied me on a few jobs.

My interests include blogging, writing, photography, makeup, working out, church service, journaling, networking, reading, online grocery shopping, MACing, and knitting for the lovescarf project. I spend hours a day riding the subway to make sure my children are dropped off and picked up at their respective schools on the upper west side and lower east side (remember, I live in Queens). I attend suzuki violin lessons twice a week with my daughter and practice with her for an hour most days. I have recently discovered the iphone, jogging and Raisenets made with Cranberries (not in combination).


As an actor, one of my favorite holidays is Halloween. I pretty much know who I am going to be for Halloween by January of every year, and enjoy spending the rest of the year finding just the right details to make my costume complete. It’s contagious, my whole family is into it. I hope I can add to your holiday this year, and if not, maybe you can start planning Halloween 2010 in a few months!

Preserving Children's Artwork — by Guest Mom Carrie Lundell

Who doesn't love their child's drawings? Many children express themselves through art far better than the written or even spoken word, so the attachment is understandable. Yet who among us hasn't thought about chucking every last piece of art when the pile coming home from school, added to what is created at home, threatens to take over every inch of the refrigerator door and fill every drawer in the house?

Here's the million-dollar question: what is worth keeping and what gets tossed (during the night and placed in the outside garbage under mounds of food scraps so there is no evidence of the cruel mommy who doesn't think every piece of her child's art is beautiful and worth saving)? Here's what I do:



1. Display the Art
Even for just a day. If your child is proud of their artwork, show it off. Right now, we use simple magnet clips on the side of the fridge. For a cleaner presentation, this company produces frames that open on hinges, allowing you to swap out your child's art easily and often. Just last week I came upon this ingenious DIY frame with the same purpose and I like it even more. A cute little clothesline like this works famously too.

2. You Save, I Save
Each of my children gets their own "treasure box." They are allowed to keep anything they want in their box, but it must fit in the box. New art often replaces old art in their boxes as they constantly work to make sure the lid stays on the box. I also have my own acid-free "treasure box" for each of them and hold myself to the same rule — I can't save more than what will fit in the box. I save only the most special drawings. They are usually the ones with good stories attached, or where it's obvious my child has spent more than her usual attention span, and I always save "firsts". Like the first time my child drew a circle with arms growing out of the sides and called it "mom" instead of the typical scribbles.



3. Preserve with a (re)Purpose
Preserving your child's art in an acid-free box is one thing, but using it as inspiration to create something else takes preservation to a whole new level. My children love seeing their art come to life as "softies", handkerchief embroidery, carved pumpkins, personalized neckties, t-shirt transfers, and Christmas ornaments. I will admit the time I spend creating with their art might partly be my way of making up for the fact that I throw the majority of their artwork in the trash. If sewing is not your thing, this company creates sterling silver pins out of your child's art and this shop will turn their art into a sweet little pendant, both perfect for gifting.



Whatever you decide to save, make sure to write the child’s name and date on it.Also, remember to record and attach “the story” if it has one. It's all going to be vital information down the road. You always think you’ll remember, but you won’t.

Thanks to Gabrielle for having me here this week. I’ve had a great time sharing with all of you! I hope you’ll take the time to create, preserve and share your family heirlooms.

Putting Heirlooms to Good Use — by Guest Mom Carrie Lundell

Family heirlooms wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and stored safely away from sticky fingers in a cedar chest will easily last for the next 100 years, but the joy and meaning that comes from pulling treasured items out of storage and repurposing them for greater use in our lives is sometimes worth the risk of a slightly shorter heirloom "shelf-life". Hopefully none of you think my ideas are akin to the horrors of painting a piano (which I love, BTW).

-Turn a piece of Grandma's old china into a dessert stand to use at family special occasions.

-Can't bear to part with a concert T full of memories from your youth? Let it live on in all it's glory as a newborn baby gown.

-Grandma's sweet, old linens can be turned into beautiful Easter dresses.



-Think about splitting up Great Grandma's unfinished quilt tops and turning them into numerous baby blankets, children's clothes and even throw pillows.

-If you are lucky enough to have a hanky collector in your family, baby bonnets, curtains, and wall hangings are all great options for putting them to good use in a place besides your runny nose.

-Favorite childhood toys can become decor for your child's room and stay protected when displayed in a shadow box.



-Avid crocheters will usually leave behind stacks of beautiful doilies that no one knows what to do with. Use them to accessorize clothing or integrate them into your home decor.

If you are not lucky enough to have these types of family heirlooms lying around (I have to supplement) but still have a hankering for a "family heirloom-esque" project, items from garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores can easily be substituted for any of the above. Not quite as meaningful, but fun nonetheless.



Find more of Carrie at This Momma Makes Stuff.

Journal Roundup — by Guest Mom Carrie Lundell

It's pretty safe to say blogging has become a new type of journaling. Count me among the people who have tried to ditch the traditional pen to paper, hoping my blog posts will include enough personal history to leave an impact on my posterity. As much as a blog (even printed in book form) helps preserve precious memories, nothing beats the soul of a handwritten, personal journal. But that doesn't mean your handwritten journal needs to be traditional.

Check out these options:

1) Struggle with your personal narrative? Record your life in lists.

2) Are you a bibliophile? Sure, you can share what you've read on GoodReads, but keep a handwritten list too.

3) Do you have vivid dreams? Record them in a dream journal along with interpretations.

4) Don't forget to include the kids! We lament how they "grow up too fast" and struggle to perfectly capture their childhood personality. A child's handwritten journal will not only become a priceless keepsake, but the act of journaling develops a child's verbal and writing skills, releases fear, frustration and anxiety as well as promotes self-awareness and increased self-esteem. Starting them young can also help create a habit of journaling that can last well into their adult years. I created the "This is Me" kid's journal as an easy way for parents to help their children record memories through writing and drawings from as young as 3 years old.

5) With this great, little kids travel journal, your family vacation can be recorded from a whole new perspective.

6) Useful Books upcycled cereal box journals are as unique as your tween — even making pre-teenage "angst" look cute.

Pick a book, grab a pen and join me in some old school journaling. Your kids will thank you for it.

Find more of Carrie at This Momma Makes Stuff.

Welcome Carrie Lundell!

photo credit: James Carson Photography

Note from Design Mom: How happy am I that I get to introduce a new Guest Mom? So super happy. Meet Carrie Lundell. Beautiful. Smart. Creative. You're going to love everything she has to offer. Here's a quick intro straight from our guest:

I'm so delighted to be a guest mom here at Design Mom this week. Not sure how I am supposed to follow the fantastic news and beautiful posts from last week! What I can say, as someone who has always loved being part of a large family, is that I couldn't be more happy for Gabrielle and the new addition to the Blair family.

Now, a little about me. First, I've been married to a great guy for just over 13 years (any other teenage brides in the house?) and together we make really cute kids (three so far). Before the mini-van, I graduated with a degree in Fashion Design and worked designing little girls clothing for a few different companies, the most well-known being Old Navy in NYC (if you want to tell me their little girls stuff was cuter back then, you totally can). While designing for money has become a thing of the past for me, designing for pleasure will always continue on. And honestly? I get to live a way more creative life now than I did back then.

When it comes to all things creative, however, I tend to be a little ADD, never sticking to one medium or project for very long (as evidenced by the range of projects recorded on my personal blog,This Mama Makes Stuff. Beyond my creative side, my interests span from mountain biking & garage sale-ing to public school advocacy and karaoke. Two years ago, I added business ownership on top of it all when I decided to create and independently publish a kid's journal. With interests, responsibilities and loves constantly pulling me in all directions, I have been trying to shed the self-given, "attention deficit" label and try on the more beautiful label of "renaissance woman". Sounds better, right?

This week, on Design Mom, I'll be posting about a few of my biggest loves: family heirlooms, histories, and keepsakes. Don't worry, no scrapbooking or geneology required (just maybe a little rummaging, sewing, and reflecting). Hope you get a chance to read, share, and get inspired!

How To: Smoky Eyes — by Guest Mom Allison Czarnecki

I adore smokey eyes more than words. There's something so gorgeously alluring about them, and they look really complicated and intricate so you can trick people into thinking you spend a lot of time on your makeup. Because stuff like that matters.

I've long coveted the eye makeup of someone whose name rhymes with Jim Bardashian. I can't bring myself to say her real name, but her make-up is ridiculous. And by ridiculous I mean awesome. So, I *might* have spent some time on her website and some more time looking at magazine shots of her face. *Sigh*, I know.

We're back to square one. Remember the blank canvas? Pretend the pictures are right here because that's where you want to start.






That wasn't even hard at all, right? And I need to point out that a smokey eye doesn't have to be done with black, it can be done with any color. Smokey is just a style. Purple is really hot this fall and I'm dying to do a smokey eye in plum.



Never ever, ever leave the house with smokey eyes and red lipstick. It's too much. Nude lips are what you're after. And by that I mean almost opaque beige. Or you can go with Saavex, which I do on a regular basis.

Wasn't that fun? I honestly can't help myself when it comes to cosmetics. Thanks so much for having me on Design Mom this week, I had a ball. And my crazy talented dear friend wanted me to point out that I never mentioned where my husband was from when I told you he's an immigrant, like it must have been a bad place. For the record, he's Polish.

You can find more of Allison at Petit Elephant.

How To: Everyday Eye Makeup — By Guest Mom Allison Czarnecki

I'm not implying for one second that any of you don't know how to apply makeup. I just happen to live and breathe all things beauty, and if someone had shown me how to do this several years ago it would have saved me hours in front of the mirror. But that's half the fun right? I'm going to show you how to do two looks: everyday and a smoky eye. The top pic shows you everything I use to create the magic.

I'm a MAC makeup devotee. I still have MAC eyeshadow pots from college; they're really high quality and they last forever. If you don't know what colors look good on you, book a make-up session at your local makeup counter {it's free} or enlist the help of a stylish friend to give you some ideas.



Honestly, makeup is a little bit addictive. I can't remember a time my toenails weren't painted {really truly} and it's a bad day if I'm not wearing at least lip gloss. I had samples of Avon lipstick in my underwear in Kindergarten and I'm always trying to make-over at least one of my girlfriends. It's a sickness.

Here is what I do for everyday makeup:








Wasn't that easy? Takes me 5 minutes max and I look so much more polished when I'm done. Next up: smokey eyes.

How To Wear A Scarf — by Guest Mom Allison Czarnecki

Scarves are still all the rage in the fashion world right now and I'm breathing a collective sigh of relief for all of us, because scarves are hawt. They're our friends, and we want to keep them around for as long as possible. Or until the Europeans are done with them, whichever comes first.

The sky is the limit with scarves. Think of them as just one more accessory in your arsenal of hotness. Wear a scarf in place of a necklace; it can compliment a really cute plain tee and make you look just that much more put together. If you don't know how to wear one no worries, I'm about to show you. I'll even hold your hand every step of the way.



1. Drape your scarf lengthwise down your arm.
2. Fold it in half.
3. Pull the halved scarf behind your neck. Hold open one side with your fingers. With your other hand hold onto the tassels.
4. While holding open the halved end of the scarf, push the tassels through the hole.
5. Pull tight.



You ready to try another one?



1. Hang scarf loosely around your neck. Make sure it's about evenly divided.
2. Loop the piece of scarf in your left hand all the way around your neck until it comes back around the front.
3. Now we're all back at the front again right?
4. Even up the sides and pull tight around your neck.



If we want to get crazy and take it one step further we can wrap the ends around and tuck in, like so.



See? Totally painless, and now you can accessorize with the best of them. What do you think? Do you have some great scarf tying tips the rest of us need to know?

Find more from Allison at Petit Elephant.

An Outfit for Fall — by Guest Mom Allison Czarnecki

I live in Utah, so I live for sweater season. You would too if sweater season started in September and lasted until May! Anyway, it's finally time to pull my old favorite sweaters from the back of the closet so I can mix the wardrobe up a bit.

I have a new favorite cardigan already, and I thought it would be fun to share an outfit I've come up with using the sweater. Longer, cardigan sweaters are all the hotness this season. Pair them with skinny jeans or leggings for a perfect all-around-town look.

What do you think, are you a fan? I have a feeling I'm going to live in long sweaters, leggings, and boots this Winter. And that's a good thing.

Find more from Allison at Petit Elephant.

How To Wear Jewelry — by Guest Mom Allison Czarnecki

I'm a big fan of jewelry. Cheap jewelry, expensive jewelry, I love it all. My favorite pieces of jewelry are my wedding ring and a pair of earrings I bought on the street in New York City for $1. I don't really discriminate when it comes to pretty baubles.



Friends ask me all the time: how do you know what to wear together? I don't know actually, there really isn't a science to it. I don't really care what's hot or what's not, I just know what I love and will wear regularly. If you find something you love, you'll find a way to wear it.



The trick is not to wear it all at the same time. Sometimes I see photos of celebrities wearing 10 pieces of jewelry and they're all competing with each other; you don't really get to appreciate each piece. To me that's missing the whole point of jewelry, which is frankly a travesty.



Here's my general rule of thumb for accessorizing an outfit: wear one statement piece, the rest will complement. So if I'm wearing a big ring, I won't wear a big bracelet. If I have on huge earrings I either skip a necklace or tone it way, way down. Make sense?

My go to places for finding great accessories: Forever 21, Charlotte Russe and Stella & Dot.

When I visit big cities like New York or L.A. I buy jewelry off the street for less than $5 each piece. It doesn't have to cost a lot to wear cool jewelry but when you find something you love, snatch it up. You never know when you might find just the right necklace on a street corner in San Francisco.

Find more from Guest Mom Allison at her blog Petit Elephant.

Welcome, Allison!

Hey Friends. I've got a happy announcement today. We've got a rad Guest Mom in the house! There's been a bit of a Guest Mom break as summer travel and kids-out-of-school took over everyone's lives. But September is here and that means schedules are back in place and that means Guest Moms are back on the schedule.

We're starting up the Fall Season with Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elephant. I met Allison a couple of summers ago at an outdoor showing of The Muppet Movie. She brought me yummy homemade jam and (not coincidentally) captured my heart. I'll let Allison tell you a bit about herself in her own words.

5 things about me:

1. I'm the mother of two beautiful children: a 9-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son, which is the most defining and important part of who I am.



2. I'm married to an immigrant. He claims to have a firm grasp on the English language {he's been in the U.S. since he was 9} but I disagree. He wasn't a citizen when we got married and contrary to popular belief, marrying a citizen of the U.S. doesn't really speed up the immigration process. I don't really care where he came from, he's the love of my life.



3. I threw a wicked cool party at BlogHer this year. The stress of it nearly killed me, but it was one of the proudest moments of my life. Bringing together corporate sponsors with my favorite bloggers? Well, it makes me emotional just thinking about it.



4. I unintentionally stalk bloggers I adore until we're besties. {You're next Ree}. Stalk is such an ugly word; it implies un-reciprocated love. It's cool if I call you Gabby right?

5. I blog daily at Petit Elefant my family lifestyle blog, but I'm all over the place because I. Love. Blogging. Can't wait to hang out on Design Mom this week & share some of the things I love.

Thanks for having me, Gabby.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String — by Guest Mom Stacy

My heart is both heavy & racing. Heavy because it is Friday, my last day as guest mom. I was soooo scared (read: intimidated) to do this, feeling in the presence of greatness each time I read Design Mom. But once I started, it felt like a window was opened, with the best cool wind breezing through. My mind flooded with all sorts of things I wanted to share. But would anyone care to read them? Can’t stop — it felt so great to write, and post, and rush home from “regular” work to see my post on a real live blog. With real live comments. From real live wonderful people. I might just have to keep writing. Funny how you can fit things in when they truly feed your soul.

So for my last post, I’ve collected a sort of “favorite things” list (I love reading lists!) Things that are essential in my world. Things that in common, share a sort of beauty, comfort, & simplicity.

1. Gap boyfriend jeans. Please believe, after 17 years, I have amassed quite a collection of jeans. And I have donated many of those. My definition of a great pair of jeans are any pair I can wear on my day off — because I WANT to. And these are the best pair Gap has ever ever made. I actually have 2 pairs, as does my friend Jen. We nearly sold out of them before they hit the sales floor because so many associates bought them. They are that good!



2. Waldorf mobiles. My best friend from college first discovered these at a Waldorf school in new york. She hung one in her daughter’s room, and I have been smitten ever since. Wool roving is such an amazing material. Paired with stars — unmatched in its beauty.



3. Ruth Krauss & Maurice Sendak. I first discovered the book A Hole Is to Dig at an Anthropologie store a few years ago. I was captivated by the tiny drawings & brilliant definitions of everyday things. A couple years later, I happened upon Charlotte and The White Horse and I'll Be You and You Be Me. Again, the sweet line drawings coupled with moving words written by an adult yet echoing the true sentiment of childhood proved that the collaboration of these two was nothing short of magical. Whether you have children or not, little or grown, I promise you will love these books. They’ll make you smile, they’ll bring a tear to your eye, because that special optimism & innocence of childhood never ever leaves you. Thank goodness.




4. Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. When I was little, I thought it was so special to have chocolate chips in the house (my mom did not care to bake, so when chips were around, it was something!) I vowed that “when I grow up…” I will always have chocolate chips on hand. And I do. And these are the best. I truly eat them every day. We (I) go through a bag a week. At least. They are good mixed with cereal (no milk). They are good on ice cream. And they are good alone. Go buy some now. You won’t be sorry. (Oh—they are good for baking, too. But I don’t very often because as a grown-up I am responsible enough to know that I will eat the lion’s share of the cookies. And my kids will get mad.)



5. Robert Ryan. In a way, Rob Ryan is not about simplicity. Or comfort. But beauty — for days! I recently discovered his work and cannot stop looking at it. Rob is an artist in London who creates exquisite works with scissors & paper — which I guess at its heart is simple, but oh, the detail! I gave his book This Is for You to my husband for father’s day, and pray that someday we can own one of Rob’s breathtaking works of art.

I know I could go on, but I will stop here. 5 is a tidy list.

Thank you Gabrielle. For blindly believing that I could be a guest mom in the footsteps of so many other great ones before me. For your kind readers and their kind comments. For the joy I have felt writing and sharing this week I wish I could wrap it all up in a bow and send it to you. You’re the best!